as Nick’s Essential, his human companion, and we would take only low-risk cases. It’d worked, and now I was on the brink of losing my hard-fought-for life. It scared me. “Letting you go back to your life until we see how this unfolds may be the safest place for you. But I don’t like it,” he growled. “Keeping you here under lock and key is what my gut is telling me to do.”
“If news of my shift leaked today, how many wolves do you think would actually be a serious threat to me right out of the gates?” I asked.
My father studied me closely. “Out of the hundred and fifty-nine wolves under my immediate directive, not including outlying Canadian or Alaskan wolves, I believe there are only a few—ten to twelve at most—who still hold tightly to the belief that you will bring about the ruination of the Pack if you become full blooded. The majority are undecided, but could be swayed quickly if the loudest of the opposition gained momentum before we were able to shut it down. I don’t want to worry you any more than necessary, but this morning the Cain Myth resurfaced on several U.S. Pack sites. It could be a coincidence, it does come up once in a while, but it’s likely tied to the unease. We haven’t figured out where it was generated from this time, but we’re working on it.”
“Already?” I exhaled the breath I’d been holding. “That can’t be good.”
“In this instant age of technology,” my father shook his head, “I have no way to stop it. It infuriates the hell out of me, but it proves beyond a doubt there’s already speculation and unrest within our own ranks, and getting you back to your old life and out of danger is an absolute priority. If we can stop the momentum and keep your shift under wraps, we have a chance to calm the uprising; if not, we may possibly have a civil war on our hands. It’s my job as Pack leader to keep that from happening at all costs.”
The goddamn Cain Myth.
A few nonsensical verses typed on a plain sheet of paper had shaped my entire existence. The Myth had been mailed to the Compound with no postmark exactly one month after my birth. Whether it carried an ounce of truth had never mattered. It had achieved its goal from the start—to seed unrest inside the Pack, while ruining my life in the process. I knew the lines by heart. They were etched in my mind permanently, like a bad stain:
As a Female in Wolf Skin rises, the unborn Daughter of Cain is born;
In her the beast shall lie, well hidden in True Form;
And from this day forth, the Wolves of the Night shall pay;
Blood and flesh of their bones, her mighty hand shall slay;
The end of the race will be close at hand;
When the Daughter of Evil rules the land.
Did I believe I was the daughter of Cain? Of course not. But fear was a powerful motivator, especially for the extremely superstitious wolves. When the Cain Myth arrived, I’d been told it sent the wolves into a frenzy, many calling for my father to end my life. It’d taken a few years to quell that unrest, but the Myth had lingered, rearing its ugly head throughout my childhood, causing never-ending trouble for me. Things had finally leveled off, but only because I hadn’t shifted into a wolf at puberty, and ultimately I’d fought my way off the Compound. Out of sight, out of mind.
Now I was back.
“It can’t be a coincidence,” I muttered. If our entire history wasn’t structured around myths and legends, and wolves weren’t the most superstitious beings on the planet, my life would’ve been a hell of a lot easier.
My father cleared his throat. “The wolves can speculate all they want, but until they have absolute verification—which can only come from me—they will continue to be unsure, which is why I’m leaning toward sending you back. But honestly, Jessica, not having you near me, not being able to protect you myself, goes against every fiber of my being.”
I scooted to the edge of the couch. “Dad, listen.” I touched his leg. The contact felt good. “This is the right thing to do. I know it’s going to be a rough road, and things are uncertain, but I have to at least try to salvage my life. If I stay here, there’s still no guarantee of my safety. You can’t hold my hand or lock me in my room forever, and with the wolves on edge it’s better for me to leave now. We have to give it a chance.”
My father stared at me for a long time. Then he turned to James, and without words they made a silent agreement. “Okay, we’ll give it a chance.” His words held a solemn note. “But I’m not sending you back without adequate protection.”
I nodded, accepting his decision. Having bodyguards would likely be my new norm from now on. I could live with that.
He straightened in his seat. Now that we had a plan, it was time to delegate. “Nicolas will take you home immediately,” he said. “Tyler and James will follow you down shortly. Danny is already there, and I’ll put him and his team on high alert within the city limits. It’s my feeling we will know within a few days what the fallout will look like. I will be in contact with you daily.”
I took a breath. “I completely understand the need for backup, especially now,” I said carefully. “But like you said, if anyone suspects Molly Hannon is Jessica McClain, now would be the perfect time to snoop around in my life. If they spot wolves near my building, we can bank on trouble sooner rather than later. Molly Hannon isn’t known to entertain wolves.” In fact, nobody entertained werewolves. They were an elusive bunch, with a hefty dose of superiority. They didn’t mix well with others.
My father gave me a hard look and answered me briskly. “James will stay at the Safe House. If you are in danger, he can be there in less than two minutes. If you’re on an assignment, I expect you to let James or your brother know. If you’re not with Nicolas, you will take one of them with you. No exceptions. Tyler will be in charge of all security operations and will be your link back to us. You will keep in contact with him throughout your day. This is the only option, so I’d suggest you take it.”
I took it.
4
Tyler was in the kitchen. A stack of sandwiches waited neatly on the counter, along with some coffee to go. I’d never gotten my cup from the good Doctor before the meeting had started. Nick and I picked up the drinks and snatched a few sandwiches and followed Tyler out the door. My father and James had already gone to deal with the other wolves, and our plan was to get out of here as quickly as possible.
I licked my lips. “I’m hungry every five seconds, is this normal?” I took a huge bite. Jesus. Ham and cheese had never tasted this good. It was like it was laced with some kind of supernatural MSG.
“Get used to having an appetite.” Tyler chuckled. “Wolves eat a lot.”
“I can get down with eating a lot,” I mumbled around a full mouth. “But it’s not that—it’s like superfood. It tastes so much better. The cheese is actually … cheesier.”
Nick laughed, but it sounded more like a snort. “Those are your new and improved taste buds in action. Not only do they work better, but now you have more of them. But be careful, because when you bite into something nasty, it’s like licking the bottom of a garbage pail.”
We headed toward the main driveway. I had nothing to pack, since my departure had been a tad unplanned. We rounded the final curve in the lawn, and to my surprise a couple of wolves, in human form, were waiting for us at the edge of the lawn, where the parking lot started.
Tyler’s voice rang in my brain. Hold tight. That’s Hank and Stuart. He slowed his pace, and Nick and I followed his lead. What the hell are they doing out here? They’re supposed to stay in the commons until after you leave. Those two have been the most suspicious since everyone learned you were back.
That’s hardly a shocker, I replied. My main enemies-at-camp are suspicious? I wonder why? Hank Lauder and his son Stuart had been against me since day one. Hank was nearly as old as my father, but he’d only been a member of this Pack for the last twenty years. Before that he’d been a Pack wolf in the Southern Territories, but had been expelled for some reason unknown to me. Hank was strong and loud, and had led the biggest initiative against me when I’d lived on Compound, riling up the younger wolves and maneuvering them in line to do his dirty work, which ranged from foul taunts to fist throwing. If anyone would be pointing the finger, it would naturally be Hank.
My brother’s voice filtered into my mind again. None of the wolves are sure what’s going on, including these two, but they aren’t as stupid as they look.
